Daniel gave Adam a smirk and picked up his radio "Yes Björndahl what?! I am in the middle of something, start moving out of this place. I found Zinsky but he does not matter any more." he then turned his attention back to Adam.

"So, you are really saying that god exists, in some paranormal state of existence? In words, or if you will the meaning of the words.. Or something like that?" Daniel put up his hand before Adam could answer "And if that is true.. it means that god exists."

The smile on Daniels face knew no end.

"Finally, a worthy adversary! Adam, let us go to this rabbit hole and plunge in!"

A butter knife. This had to be a cruel joke. If not a Nightmare. But Hikaru's shoulder hurt. So it had to be real...

Watching at Robert's Corpse some tears made their way out of Hikaru's eyes. Even if he didn't know Robert very well, he was an ally in this Crisis... and so a friend. Hikaru had considered Robert a friend before, but how could he ever befriend a cruel murderer? Now he was in his room with the girl, and the kamis knew what he planned to do with her.

Hikaru had to speed up. So he said "Sorry, Roberto-san...", and prepared for a strong punch or kick to break the dead man's wrist or arm, so he would just need to cut through the flesh around the fracture. He tried not to think about it, cause it made him feel sick. Instead he concentrated on doing damage.

His trembling hands still held his gun. The automatic was in both of his hands. His eyes stared so hard against the wall, one could think he tried to pierce it with his eyes. But he only wanted to know how to kill the man. how to escape. How to make it out alive. How to . . . do the right thing?

Maybe a man trapped in such a place, under these circumstances was simply not meant to life. Maybe he was meant to die for the knowledge he had aquired. But did destiny have such a dark sense of humor? Did it? his cynical side suddenly failed. He did not even dared to think of smoking. no, this was nothing to reflect on. It was him or the other man. The smarter move would make one of htem kill the other, the more stupid one would wipe on of the face of the earth. The moment he had to realize that . . . this moment of reflection was really not helping. When did this country help him with anything, though.

Rufus watched his hands calm, watched them stop trembling and felt the sweat on his upper lip. His second gun . . . his left hand grabbed inside the jacket and got out the compact revolver with the man-stopper ammo. Only four shot left. How had he got there? How?

Well, it had been new york, obviously. nothing good had ever come from New York, when it concerned him. The office had been helpful and had arranged Rufus transport to the penthouse of the customer. If you can call a man like that a customer. A man who had everything and needed nothing. Who paid the charge of six month work in advance, only to talk. no strings attached. That had been what he had said. Nonsense. Especially when they claim there are no strings you would most likely be strangled with them.

The penthouse, the huge clock in front of which the man stood. All very impressive. And not impressing Rufus. The man did, though. He talked about the end of the world, as if it was nothing to him. Laissez fair. Or something like that, the french called it.

"You seem to be a midly reasonable man, so you will tkae the job." the lawyer had said and continued to cut an apple, as if he wanted to kill it.

"You think you convinced me?" Rufus had answered. Keeping his cool. trying to lure more out of the man.

"No, not by any means. But I have generated some questions. And youre the kind of man looking for answers. That´s why I choose you. that and because I think it´s your destiny." And with a childish grin the man had bitten into the half of the apple that did not lay cut into slices before him.

The man had been right. Nepal. The King. Lilith. The attack. He had suffered through it all for answers. And now he had them, just no time remaining to listen. Not if the other man killed him. Simply thing, so the other man had to die.

Rufus breathed in and opened his shoes. slowly pulling them of his hurting feet. Ignoring the feeling of thousand ants crawling into the feet as blood returned. Two pair of socks, to protect him from the cold. No better silencer in the world. He stepped out, as the man talked to someone. A voice came over the radio. Evacuation. Rufus knew there would be a second, one where hte other man would need to reflect. One second where the other man needed to think and choose his words. Rufus would not let him have this second. Or nay other. "Sir . . . " Was all he allowed him to say and then he dived into the room. The other man shot and missed him. The shot hit the wall where Rufus had entered the room, but with a huge step the american PE was already a meter beyond that point. His shot hit. Both guns went of. The automatic ripping a whole into the wall against which the other man was leaning, but his revolver hit the mans neck. The manstopper ammo seemed to explode inside the flesh, ripping apart the throat. for a second they just stared at each/>/>

Vincent´s eyes widened, but finally his mind managed to understand the fact their ally had just become someone else. As unrealistic and strange as it appeared to be. He ripped up his gun, but the old man had already moved. He leaped to the side with an energy you would not have thought he had still in him and raised the rifle one handed. It was not precise, but would do. It was no pointed at Andy. Directly. And this shot would hit her torso and not only her shoulder, that still pounded with pain. Vincent aimed at the man, but as he saw his eyes, his uncaring, calm dead eyes, he lowered his gun. "Okay. Okay, what do you want?" He asked, not yet allowing his gun to drop. His eyes went to Andy, then back to Caleb. Or whatever this was . . .

Tag: spy

Desert, Dreams

The girl backed away, looking at Sumiko´s hand as if she was fearful to be touched by it. The question stayed unanswered, obviously. The girl had no mouth, therefore no way to speak. She shrugged then turned and ran. ran away as fast as she could. "I see you already met Laura?" Came a voice from behind. It was the slightly accented voice of Tony, who stepped next to Sumiko, as if he had marterialized from nowhere. Dreamlogic. Obviously. he was smoking again ,even though Sumiko had not seen him take or light a cigarette.

"You blacked out and are now lying in the desert. Night falls, which will most likely be the reason why you have a few hours before you die. In the daylight you would never awake but die sleeping because of the loss of fluid alone." He said cooly. "Now you will awake. Karl never had a good eye for mortals. He is close to them, but always stayed to far apart." Taking another deep breath he smiled at Sumiko. "How are you, girl? Good you called your parents, right?"
Tag: Leigh

Corben´s Inn

The shots thundered in the small room and then it was dark. Basically the same second both pulled the triggers the world seemed to vanish. It seemed to implode. and all pain was abscent, all light was gone. It was sharon who opened her eyes again. The light was bright and blinding. But above her was a familiar figure. Karl smiled down on her. "Hello Sharon." He said with a simple nod. A smile played around his lips, as he looked up. He we kneeling above her, above her body that was still covered by blood but showed no signs of any wound anymore. Not evne her shoulder hurt. Not far away Jackson Clay lay on the ground. A bullet had pierced his head. He seemed to be dead.

"Looks like you faced some difficulties." He then said, as both of them sat in the lsaughterhouse that was the Corben´s Inn.

[link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1Zxcw5Wvtc&feature=related]The whispers in her mind drained out the hope and desperation to see her father again.[/link] Filling the hole with fear and dread, Andrea could only watch from the bottom of the dune. The sand dug into her skin, but she dared not move. Vincent, his face squinted with determination, seemed to on the verge of a mental collapse. Not unlike her own mind, which was trying to grasp that she would never see her father again. Never hear his bellowing laughter at one of her frivolous jokes that would make her blush in front of her friends at its strangeness. Not that she missed it. Missed the lies that her father whispered to her. That he had been doing fine when mother had died. Andy had submitted to her father in going to San Fransisco, like a normal, smart child would, but inwardly she wanted to run away from it. His cold gazes, the sudden brutality, the defensive stance that came on whenever she wished to know about how his day had been. The young woman, almost thirty, lay on her shoulder at the bottom of a dune in who knows where. Near death. Her eyelids fluttered as she tried to keep from giving into the pain.

?Scared I could miss the crash. . .am Vincent. nice to meet you. Andy from Italy. . .Don't worry, my dear. I got a badge. . .Not that bad, little lady. You?ll be alright. You?ll be alright. . .You know what, if we get out of this alive, we?re gonna date. I tell ya. No chance I do save a woman like you and not get coffee for it. . .Don?t you leave me here alone, do you? Don?t??

Vincent Doyle, tall and strong, whipped the gun up and pointed it at the Old Man, known now as Caleb. But the Old Man proved to be more agile than either Andy or Vincent could have ever predicted. In a flash of motions, the man had his rifle pointed at her. Directly in the torso. She quivered again, her whole body shaking then. In moments a rifle would go off, and a bullet would cut through the air and land into her chest, pounding its way through muscle, blood, and tissue, until it buried itself deep inside her heart. But this time the tears didn?t come. Whether her body had run out of salt, or she had just grown up, she didn?t cry. No more crying. Not for her father and not for herself. She would have to grow a backbone, because that was the only way anyone survived in a desert in the middle of crappin? nowhere. Vincent moved to position his own gun on Caleb, but he stopped. Andrea looked from Vincent, whose eyes were calm and focused, to the death gaze of the Old Man. Sighing, Vincent lowered his gun slightly from the man. Andrea cursed his weakness.

"Okay. Okay, what do you want?"

Vincent sounded irritated now, as if the man was simply a bug, buzzing around his head. Andrea cursed in frustration, glaring at Vincent. Then she stopped. Stopped the glaring, stopped the anger. There was no reason Vincent had to be blamed for every mistake she had made. He hadn?t made her be on the plane. He hadn?t forced her to talk to him. He hadn?t told her to try to get to first class. So why should she be mad at him? He was the only person who had helped her, had cared for her. Sumiko had shown compassion, but it was a friendship. Andy wondered what Sumiko and the strange passenger named Karl were doing now. Even though she trusted Sumiko?s judgement, she had a gut feeling something was going to happen. Something bad.

?V-Vincent, please listen. I love you. Now more than ever. I understand you are a patient, listening man. Every sky marshal has to be.? Andy thought back to when Vincent had roughly shoved her off him to announce for everyone to stay calm, a small smile dropped on her lips, ?But for my sake, along with yours, you need to shoot him. He is infected. And Caleb, what has happened to you? I doubt your true name is Caleb. But something happened to you. An infection is what I think. So Vincent. . .shoot him!? Andy stumbled up the

The Priest lead the way and held the exhausted, dying Laura in his arms as if she had no wieght at all. It was an office building. Empty. Abandoned. Ravaged by raging hordes. Papers which once met the world to people were lying here on the ground. Soaked in blood and other body fluids. The smell was unbareable. Bodies were lying around. Half rotten as if they had been there for weeks. Although the roits had just started hours ago. They had to take the stairs, as the elevator had no more power. And the priest seemed exactly to know where to go. Finally they ended in the penthouse. The electronic locks beeped and opened, even though nobody had given them their code.

And behind them an empty room revealed itself. A cool, stylish penthouse flat made for managers. Which has stayed empty, as the constructors had to realize the market was not equal to the demand they had hoped for. It was not totally empty, though. One man was there, rubbing his forehead, as if he was in pain. He sighed as the two men entered and Laura with them.

"The truth is, we do not see the consequences of our doing and that is why we find it so hard to accept them. But even if told, even if the terrible burden of being unknowing is lifted . . . a human heart is still a beast powered by love. Self-love. We make the same decisions. We just can´t hide behind our ignorance anymore." The man slowly turned his head and looked at Markus. "Do you understand what I mean?" He asked and then his eyes lay down on Laura.

"Meine liebste, kleine Laura." He whispered and seemed to have tears in his eyes, as he touched her sweating, fevering forehead. She awoke immediately.

The trip was long, lengthened by the necessity of the stairs. The Priest, if that is truly what his calling had once been in faith, led without fret, worry, or care for all that he was carrying. Only Markus' own labored breathing from one too many hours spent in front of a computer yet rang within that stairwell, acting counterpoint their off measure steps climbing ever higher. . .for once further it felt, instead of closer to heaven.

Sterility was lacking, only carnage, a carnage that only days spent in intensive surgical units could spare one the cost of loosing food. That, or living in carnage one way or another. Whichever the Priest, he guessed a form of the later to the point of numbness, as well as whatever had made him freakishly strong.

Then as they finally broke into an open space, unlitered and unfettered by decaying remains there stood a single man. A single man in an open space instead of the surgical suite formed by tents that he had half expected to see. Then again with understanding of the Change, perhaps a modicum of healing was left divulged to this being as well as control of chaotic lingering death.

He nodded at the man's words, sense and logic often was the enemies opening argument. So pure, so true, but yet misguided in how to correct the situation. "Yes, if in part. To paraphrase in a way more accustomed to me: We are a stiff necked people, each carrying a seed of Narcissus planted deeper rooted in our core than any want to admit. Or perhaps fear to. We bang our heads upon the doors of judgment and knowledge with a drop of 'wisdom lost' until they crack, and when understanding dawns we rather shut them and continue banging than to acknowledge what we have found."

As for the man he appeared to wake the girl, Laura. What was next he did not know, but feared.

A flicker of surprise crossed Sumiko?s face for a moment as the mouth-less girl backed away from her hand as if fearful of the touch and fled as fast as her legs could carry her. Then it occurred to her, she had no mouth, so how could she have answered the question. But that voice...Sumiko was sure that it had come from the girl. Her dark eyes watched the fleeing form, but her attention was stolen by a now very familiar voice that came from behind her

"I see you already met Laura?"

Sumiko tensed up on the spot, as the slightly accented voice of Tony reached her ears. She felt her fists clench in frustration and blew out an exasperated breath. After all, this had all started the moment after she had met this man, if he was just a man. After everything that had happened she very much doubted it. She did not turn around, but she felt him appear beside her, as if he had just materialised out of thin air. She spared an uneasy glance to the side as he blew out a small cloud of cigarette smoke. He looked exactly like he did on the plane.

"You blacked out and are now lying in the desert. Night falls, which will most likely be the reason why you have a few hours before you die. In the daylight you would never awake but die sleeping because of the loss of fluid alone." He stated matter-of-factly. "Now you will awake. Karl never had a good eye for mortals. He is close to them, but always stayed to far apart."

Karl! Sumiko?s eyes widened as her right hand instinctively went up towards her neck as an icy cold realisation coursed through her. Karl had not killed her, but he had come damn close, and if what Tony said was true she would have been dead in a few hours anyway in her current condition. Karl...her eyes narrowed and she dropped her hand back down to her side. A defeated expression crossed her face. How could she have been so stupid! Beside her Tony took another deep breath and then smiled

"How are you, girl? Good you called your parents, right?"

Sumiko turned her head to the side fully to look at him, her eyes still narrowed, anger now in those dark pools. Of all the things to ask her at this moment...She blew out an angry breath

?How do you think I feel? I?m scared, I?m lost, I?m confused and I don?t understand ANYTHING of what?s going on! I?ve been held at gunpoint, in a plane crash and nearly strangled to death and left to die in a desert! Not exactly your average day is it! And yes, I talked to my parents, but that doesn?t change the fact that I won?t see them or my brother again. They won?t have a clue what has happened to me. Or why!...

She paused for a second as her emotions threatened to overwhelm her. Clenching her eyes shut she took a shaky breath in as she tried to calm herself down.

?G-gomen-nasai...?

She whispered. She rarely got angry like this but it had all just got too much. Opening her eyes again, her face was still a mask of seriousness but her angry tone on voice had died down somewhat.

?...And I want to know why Tony! WHY! Why flight 2440, Why seat j-4... Why me?... Karl said it was not a coincidence you were sat by me on that plane! You were there for a reason! I think after everything that has happened you at least owe me that! Please! All of this...it?s enough to drive you crazy...it?s too much...?

She pleaded to him as her anger subsided, replaced by weary exhaustion. She sank down to her knees, her head bowed and her shoulders slumped. She hoped for at least a tiny bit of enlightenment, but had a feeling nothing would come of her grovelling.

Daniel raised an eyebrow. Interesting, Björndahl had been.. eradicated. Good news in the sense that, now he would not have to do it himself.
The bad news on the other hand was partial, one that the supposed killer was still alive and talking.. Obviously. Second that Björndahls demise had come a tad bit to soon.

He glanced at Adam "I take it the American accent belongs to your nemesis? Perhaps God is the least of our problems if he managed to overcome you and my most trusted man." Which was somewhat of a lie since Daniel did not really trust anyone.

Daniel began moving in the opposite direction of the destroyed entrance, staying here would surely only result in tedious discussions about the ethereal form of God in letters. Which frankly, interested him little. He pressed the send button on the radio and replied with a upper class English accent.

"Is that not a rather harsh question coming from a man who supposedly disposed of my noble, honorable and well trusted right hand man? In a friendly manner, given the previous circumstance I suggest you present who you are first. And after that we can discuss my identity. Who are you and why are you here?"

Sharon blinked. Blinked again. "Karl," she said, surprised - for it was Karl's smiling face she saw as he knelt by her side, apparently unconcerned by the carnage all around them. When did Karl get here? How did he get here?

"Looks like you faced some difficulties," he said.

"You can say that again," she groaned, cautiously levering herself to a sitting position. No pain - Sharon looked down - her shoulder was completely healed. Interesting.

She looked back up and her gaze snagged upon the bullet hole right in the centre of the priest's forehead. Dead. Or was he? John had shot him earlier - of that Sharon was certain - and yet he had survived in good enough condition to overpower the country singer. Consequently she wasn't about to write him off so easily.

"It's a good thing you arrived when you did," Sharon said. "I thought ..." She shook her head. Never mind what she thought; it didn't matter. Neither was she about to ask how/why/when her employer had arrived - past experience suggested she wouldn't get a straight answer anyway. Karl Weber rarely explained his actions to his agents. She tilted her head at the priest's body. "Is he -?"

Vincent looked at her and then a shot thundered. The Skymarshall had not even managed to raise his gun, before the elder man simply shot him. The bullet passed Andy and hit Vincent´s lower torso. He staggered, stumbled one step forward and collapsed. ?Andy. Andy. Run.? He hissed and raised his gun slowly. The elder man, . . . Caleb . . . ignored Andy for now and instead walked towards Vicnent. Andy had lost blood and fever was beginning. She was no danger for him. Vincent still was. Having a gun.

Tag: Spy

Corben´s Inn

Karl looked up. ?For now. But not forever.? Karl said and looked at him. ?We should burn him, it will buy us some time, while he regenerates.? Karl cooly replied. Then looked back at Sharon. 2then again, we´re running out of time here. I arrived much later than anticipated. And I am afraid the burdens I placed on your shoulders are not yet exhausted, my dear. Not by far. I need your help, Sharon. I really need your help. I got something to do and I cannot do it alone.?

Tag: Xany

Sumiko´s Dreams

?Poor thing.? He sighed. ?I am not tony. I am just a dream. And you´re the dreamer. I am afraid you´ll have to find out yourself. But if I were you . . . ? Tony, or what appeared to be Tony looked into the desert. The mouthless girl seemed to be gone. ?I wouldn´t loose too much time and find that girl.? He said and winked. And Sumiko felt her dream fade and the cold air of the desert night crawl into her body . . .

Tag: Leigh (your update ends the chapter for you)

Chapter IX: And Prometheus played with fire . . .

Alex House, Middlesex

The woman stared at him, as he told her what time it was. Then she leaned back and looked around. She pointed to the telephone and raised her brows. Alex probably had no mind for her question, as he now saw his brother´s mouth slowly form into a smile. Without it´s lips parting. And then all of the three were distracted as outside a car illuminated the scnee with it´s lights. And they suddenly died down. As if someone had parked in front of the house.

Tag: Kahn

Chapter VII: Family and other problems . . .

The final update will come in about an hour by the hands of SirakRomar who did a combined post with me . . . the final update for the Tarpenbekflat will come from LordT to you Ben.

Chapter VI: Darwin was wrong

(written by LordT and Sir_Draco)

Monastery, Nepal

?Rufus Jameson. I am the guy who got Zinsky´s computer with all this strange stuff on. And whoever you are, if you or any of your strange beasts only get close to me, this computer will vanish. And you´ll never know what´s on it.? Rufus coughed and leaned against the wall. ?And before you do your next step you should think about who your so called right hand was working for, despite you. I left his second comm. Up here. Sure you knew about it, right?? Rufus allowed the radio to drop next to him and forced himself to his feet.
Down in the halls Adam smirked. ?It´s not his time, yet. Not his time.? Adam grinned. And turned. The rabbit hole. The one he had been born into. The one he had come from. He had to laugh at the comment of Beckfris. A worthy adversary. He hadn´t considered this. For him, this was a ultimate game. The ultimate prey.
?Let us leave. Soon Chinese will be here and blow the whole place up.? He said, as Beckfris was still talking to the American.

Tag: TDO, Draco

Chapter IX: We are Caleb

Boston Medical Center

The military men came from nowhere and opened fire as soon as they saw anyone living. The only exception was Carl and Liam, who were welcomed by them, taken into custody and taken care of. Liam got something to drink, carl was asked questions. Obviously the soldiers were relieved to know Carl had made it, they had succeeded in extracting the billionaire. While their second team shot a

Sharon nodded. "Of course; anything." She meant that too, sincerely: Sharon owed Karl Weber her life in more ways than one. Thanks to him, she had gone from a cancer-ridden wanderer on the CIA's watch list to a healthy, valued agent with limitless resources at her disposal. What she could do, she would.

The agent got up and looked around, already considering how best to burn the body. The simplest, fastest and most deniable - not that deniability mattered any longer - method would be to spread oil from the kitchen around and fire the whole inn along with the priest. As a bonus, he'd have to waste more time digging himself out from under the wreckage.

She'd drag Vashti out first, of course, and deposit her somewhere safe before she woke up. The girl didn't deserve to die for this.

That was all it had to take the one thing Andrea loved more than anything and kill it before the flower could blossom. One gunshot. One small piece of lead, compacted and placed into a rifle that she had taken and given to the man. The Old Man. The bullet landed into Vincent?s lower torso, knocking the breath from him. Stumbling forward one step, he fell down, collapsing onto himself. No words could explain what had happened. Nothing except silence. As Vincent collapsed, he whispered three words. The words that made a life or death decision to Andrea.
?Andy. Andy. Run.?

Andy stood on her feet as the fever set into her mind. The blood was leaking horribly, and she knew that her likelihood that she would survive out in the desert was bad. And leaving her lover was bad. Her mind struggled to decide, but she didn?t have long. Because the Old Man approached Vincent, moving to take his weapon from him.

?I LOVE YOU VINCENT DOYLE!?

Andy would never understand what adrenaline overtook her injured, fragile body, but something did. Letting her feet carry her, she understood Vincent?s request. His final request. The one that made all decisions. And she had told him what she had truly felt. What she had wanted to get off her chest in the start of it all. Running now, she started crying. She had vowed she wouldn?t. But that had been when there was hope. When there had been something to hold onto. Running in the opposite direction they had started going, she knew that was her only chance of surviving. Sumiko and Karl would more likely go back to the wreckage than out in the dunes. If they even came looking for her.

The sun began to set as the tarnished woman trekked across the desert.

DarkLordoftheFins post with my update . . . congrats my friend! To the award. and congrats everybody else for the game and mith and leigh and ben for their wins! Well deserved. Can´t say how much!

Laura Blohm & Sebastian FalkOffice & Dreams of lost Dreamers

She heard the voices but as she opened her eyes they seemed to be far away. Somewhere else. Someone´s else. Only one voice, one terrifying voice echoed in her mind. "Laura." Her father said. His voice as commanding, as powerful as always. Not allowing objections. Not allowing her to even form a free will. But she did not fall for it´s spell this time. "I hate you, she spit into the dark. And the same time pain returned to her. "I am sorry. You cannot reject me, Laura. Or I will not be able to help." Her fathers voice came softly into the dark, suddenly. Soft. Something she had not heard ever before. "You BASTARD! GET AWAY FROM ME!" She yelled.

Outside, there was only silence. A long silence, as she opened her eyes and Sebastian Falk did not answer to Markus. Finally he turned up his head. Staring the other man directly into the eyes. There seemed to be a world somewhere, but it vanished in comparison to these two eyes. burning feverish. "I assume you have questions?" He said. Falk´s voice was now cold as ice. "You sacrificed a lot to get answers. So I shall listen to them." He said and it sounded like a judgment.

"I cannot. You will die. And I won´t let that happen. I love you. despite what you think I did to you, I love you, my dear." Laura was raging in the dark. As she tried to leap up, she realized she had no body to follow her commands. "What I think? WHAT I THINK?" "Laura." "I KNOW! I KNOW FATHER! EVERYBODY KNOWS. AND EVERYBODY KNEW BACK THEN! MOTHER! You´re STUDENTS! The Police!" She catched breath. Only there were no lungs anymore. "EVERYBODY KNEW!"

Outside Falk touched his hairless head. "So ask. Quick, quick now. I cannot stay much longer. Not much . . . longer . . . " He said and seemed to stares through the walls into a giant void, as his eye seemed to loose all fokus.

"It was all a lie. Laura, Laura . . ." He almost begged now. "I would never have done anything to you. Your mother . . . " Laura hissed. "you killed my mother." "Laura, I never touched your mother. I never harmed her . . . " "What you did to me killed her. It ate her soul! It . . . it killed her she couldn´t keep you from doing it!" "Laura!"

Helicopters were heard in a distance at the outside. Helicopters and a single siren. The world seemed not to be totally abandoned, after all. "they´re coming." the Priest said from behind. "Sebastian, we must leave." But Sebastian Falk only raised a hand and continued to stare at Markus.

He stared listening, listening to nothing. A question hung in the air like fruit, and answers like water beneath. So like the punished man of greek mythology both were out of reach, until someone lowered the branch against it's will, or raised a cup of water that could not flow away. But in these givings a judgment also was contained, one that merely compounded his hearts that slowly caused his own water's to build against the dam within his eyes. For by his own assessment and judgment he was already found guilty, and hell did seem but barely sufficient for his crimes against his own daughter.

Confusion might of played across his features if he did not gleem some meaning from the other man's distracted air. Namely that whatever he planned to do for his daughter wasn't working beyond opening her eyes, thus he was casting about his own mind for a way whilst talking with Markus. If not for the 'Priest' he might of seen this as a perfect moment to do something, as was there wasn't anything that jumped to be done but to ask the questions.

"Four I shall ask, four for the only number of lives yet living I care about on any level, and before you jump to conclussions my own is not among them." Squaring up he looked at the man, "One. Is there a place or way I could learn what you know about this change? Two." Here his voice yet began to crack and the tears held back built higher till his vision blurred, "Would she have survived the Change if I had gone to her?"

Tears began to stream down his face, but he soldiered on. He had to or he never would finish. "Thre-ee. Did you have the understanding enough of human folly to know to test it on someone else before you did so to your Laura? Or in seeing yourself a budding god did you dive in to assure her survival of this purge without a second thought?" It was an honest question, with an assumption garnered from the pieces known and those gleamed from the Priest and Sebastian in this encounter.

?Poor thing...I am not Tony. I am just a dream. And you?re the dreamer. I am afraid you?ll have to find out yourself. But if I were you . . . I wouldn?t loose too much time and find that girl."

Sumiko looked up at Tony in Confusion, or rather the dream version of Tony. He wanted her to do what? With that he shot her a wink. Sumiko went to stand up again, to ask him what he meant but she felt the world around her disappear as the dream faded.

~~~

...Cold...why is it so cold....

A string of harsh painful coughs came from Sumiko as she slowly came back to consciousness. Her body felt heavy and the cold night air chilled her to the core. Shivering she slowly and gingerly pushed herself up onto all fours, coughing a few more times before coming to rest on her knees. It was exactly as dream Tony had said, she had been left in the desert to die. She looked around, a flash of fear went up her spine. This desert was sinister enough in the daylight, and in the pitch black it felt even more so. The outlines of the surrounding dunes just barely visible against the night sky. Everything hurt and she grimaced as she pulled her jacket tighter around her in a futile effort to keep the cold out. Bringing one hand up to her neck she carefully probed it, feeling some swelling and bruising and wincing at the raw feeling. For a few moments she just knelt there in the sand, her head reeling. That dream...everything had seemed so real even down to dream Tony's cigarette smoke.

"If I were you...I wouldn't loose too much time and find that girl"

"...Find that girl"

The mouth less girl. That was who he had been referring too. Was he telling Sumiko that she had to find this person? But she wasn't real, she was just a figment of a dream...wasn't she? After everything she had experienced up to now she wasn't sure about anything anymore. Why did he want her to find her? Even if she could find this mysterious girl what good could she do. She had already felt like such a burden to?

"ANDREA-SAN!"

Sumiko exclaimed out loud as realisation dawned, Andrea and the others were still out there too. She prayed to the Kami that she and the others were alright. But what would she do? head back to try to get back to the crash site or continue to the inn and try and raise the alarm. She had been out for hours. They might not even be at the crash site anymore. There was a chance she could become even more hopelessly lost than she was already. Pushing herself up back up to standing, she bit down a shout as her body protested in pain and dizziness hit. She stumbled forward and fell back down onto her knees her legs still feeling like jelly. Taking a few moments to compose herself she slowly stood up again. This time she managed to stay upright and blink the dizzy feeling away. She looked up at the dunes. If she could get back to the top of one of them she might have a better vantage point in which to consider her options. Bringing her good arm across her front to brace her ribs she started the slow clumsy climb up the sand dune, all the while thinking of the ones she left behind

GM-Note: As expected, my work consumed me since the beginning of August. Nevertheless, the final update comes this weekend and after that onbe last update from Lordt, which he said will mark his last and final RPing post. A great honor to me, therefore.

Whoever wants to be included and still needs to update should do this until Friday, therefore. My official release date for the Sequel is February 2011. For those interested. First teaser coming soon.

As Hoshi had finally severed the hand of Robert, the screams from the room next door had ended. [link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-I2pto06ys ]Blood came floating from beneath the door and a song was still playing, which seemed so unfitting to whatever had happened next door. [/link]

Then the world seemed to explode, as the door was ripped out of it´s angle and catapulted into the room. And the special forces of Jonah Stürmer marched in like a force of nature. "Down, down.Down!" Ripping Hoshi of his feet and pressing him to the ground, doors were ripped open, wood shattered. ?Secure. Secure. Secure. Secure.? It came from everywhere, before the distressed, blood covered man in an expensive suit entered the flat. Jonah looked around and coughed. And just as he wanted to speak to Hoshi one of the special forces could not keep his calm anymore. The man stumbled into the living room, ripped his helmet from his head and vomited on the floor. Stürmer looked at him and then his eyes followed the way the man had come. To the remains of what had been human bodies. Or at least one. Small body. Scattered over the floor of the room of Thomas Schröder. Outside a noise like thunder was heard.

And Jonah Stürmer looked down to Hoshi once more. Who was covered in Robert´s blood now. ?What the hell happened here??

In the alley behind the four story crimson house Thomas Schröder leaped down the last trash-container and made his way to his bike. He was wearing his best suit, smiling and humming the tune of his final act of satisfaction as he opened the lock. He hurled the raincoat he had used to avoid ruining his suit to the side. Checked his gun and knife where safely at his belt and then pushed the passport of ESTI to his shoulder. It had been so good. Slow. He had imagined it, while doing it and made sure reality had left his imagination in shadows. He finally found the key to satisfaction. He had to take his time with them. [link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-I2pto06ys ]Pulling his iPod into his ears he activated the song again and climbed on his mountain bike. He hadn´t used it in a while, but he enjoyed the fresh air. The scent of fire and rotten flesh was intoxicating , as he made his way into the now empty streets of Eppendorf Hamburg. Passing by the dead and dying. Avoiding the convoys of army members from a dozen different nations he made his way into the city center. Explosions sometimes made things around him shatter. Debris fell left and right from him to the ground, covering his nice black suit with gray dust. But he was certain he would not be hit by any falling rocks. He was invincible. Like all people in love.And he was in love. Oh yes, he was. In love with the idea of killing Laura Blohm. Again. [/link]

?I´m in the middle of a chain reaction . . .? He sang out loud, also nobody could hear him, as a line Eurocopters fired their deadly load into the streets of Hamburg, to subdue what had become an army of rioters. Above him jets passed by. And a huge fire seemed to consume parts of the harbor.

The world . . . was good.

Tag: Nobody

All credit for Thomas Schröder goes, once more to LordTroepfchen who wrote his part.

Sebastian Falk - if anyone still wanted to call him by his name - gave Markus a long hard look. He seemed to consider the questions. Then a hint of a smile appeared on his face and vanished immediately. His eyes seemed to consume the moment, or even Markus himself. Until time finally vanished from perception and when he spoke they seemed to be alone.

Falk, if anyone still wanted to call him that gave Markus a long hard look. His eyes seemed to consume the questions, or even Markus himself. Time vanished from perception and when he spoke they seemed to be alone.

One. Is there a place or way I could learn what you know about this change? It was Markus own voice, echoing from the empty office, as if he was somewhere in the mountains. Falk shifted his head a little to the side, staring at something obviously only visible to him ? or probably only existing in his mind ? right next to Markus.

?Yes there is. There would be no profit to this wisdom, for the wise, you know? The Change happens, because . . . ? He stopped, his face changing, for a second he looked suffering and then he turned cold again. Emotions abscent from his features. Banned as unworthy. ?I wonder if there will be ever a place where I can learn and know what you know about it, Markus. ? He said cooly. And shifted to the next question. Echoing through the room, again. The building? Maybe the whole town. From afar helicopters made their way into the city center.

Would she have survived the Change if I had gone to her? Sebastian turend towards the window. ?She would have survived the day. What lies beyond this day, is up to you. To all of you. Humanity will have to decide for itself, what end fits this era of man best. But she would have lived. Breathed. Laughed. You sacrificed all the future she had to meet me.? Sebastian said so without accusation. He seemed to wonder . . . seemed to be surprised by that . . .

Thre-ee. Did you have the understanding enough of human folly to know to test it on someone else before you did so to your Laura? Sebastian laughed out. A burst of joy escaped his lips. He was showing a new emotion. One he had not showed so far. Amusement. And it looked all fake. Alien. not human. A bitter, angry amusement. ?Laura.? He only sighed. ?Laura.?

?Or in seeing yourself a budding god did you dive in to assure her survival of this purge without a second thought?" His eyes turned up and he smiled. ?A budding god. Purge. Survival. What strange terms.? Sebastian laughed again. Even more bitter than before.
?It is for me to decide who lives and who dies. For me alone. I have not asked for this responsibility. But now I commit myself to it. And I see little worthy of living, Markus. But she deserves to. Because you humans deserve a chance. All of you. And she, she will be your chance. Power. Markus. Power is an illusion.? And with a last smile, he was gone. Markus standing alone in the office, as a rain of fire went down on Hamburg´s inner city. The Priest, Laura. All gone as if they had never been there. Only driplets of blood on the floor betrayed their forrmer existence.

?There is only Change.?

Sebastian´s voice echoed a last time. Thorugh the halls. And then a scream. It was Laura.

[link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0NJsW3y02s]Tony watched Sumiko Nakamura leave to call her parents.[/link] It would be the last time she would hear their voice. He had seen it. She was weak, in some ways. Strong in others. Flawed. Fearful. She was actually human. Just human. And that made her perfect.
He took what remained of his Scotch into his mouth and looked out of the window. The dark clouds on the horizon were moving fast. Minutes, before they reached this timeless storm. It was time to talk to Karl, Carl. Carlos. Or whatever he called himself these days. It was time to let Carl know what he had found out. Raising from his seat, he tried to hide that wound in his side. That wound, that would kill him. Nobody saw him, as he moved past the seats and made his way to the First Class. Carl had sensed him, too. Their power was diminishing, but not gone yet. And Tony sat down opposite to him. ?Hello Carl.? He smiled. ?Hello Tony.? The other man replied. ?Long time no see.? Both men said simultaneously and laughed out. On the desk was a single glass of Scotch, exactly where tony had sat down. Prepared for his arrival. A show of power from Carl. So characteristic for him. Tony nodded. ?Milton told you, yes?? He asked. Weber nodded. There were noises from down there. A fight. It had begun. ?You knew it, didn´t you?? Weber asked. Tony smiled . . .

It was all as he had foreseen it. And in that moment he realized he would never tell Weber. He would never tell him, that this was not the End. This was no Apocalypse. It was a new creation. Another cycle. Another try. It was the ultimate, profound, fundamental . . . CHANGE of everything.

Desert, Nevada, 2057 a.D. for all who care to keep counting . . .

On that dune Vincent tried to get to his knees. He could still buy the girl time. It was probably all he could do with what remained of his life. Raising his gun, the second shot of the old man hit him. He collapsed and felt his breath leave his body with a hiss. Pain made him press all air out of his lungs. ?Leave her alone.? His raspy voice demanded through a cough. The old man looked down on him.
The old man looked down on him. His feet pushed away the gun Vincent had lost when he collapsed. And he shook his head. Something youthful was in his movement. Something not right. ?We cannot do this. Not after the time.? He answered. ?We are Caleb.? Vincent suddenly felt the vanishing of pain in his body. A numbness to his limbs. ?I don´t care.? He spit at the old man. ?You will. We. Are Caleb.? The man repeated and smiled. And Vincent felt his numbness spread through his body. His mind seemed to be infected, too. Was it death? No, no, he could not die yet. He was not that bad shot. He was . . .
Caleb.

Andy ran as long as she could. Her mind was so exhausted from pain, she would never remember collapsing, until she woke up.
The smell of food was in her nose. And she coughed from the water someone had gently forced into her mouth. ?You´re awake. Good. I wondered if you would make it.? The voice of an old man said and she saw a face above her. ?Keep calm, you are save now. You´re body is exhausted and dehydrated, but I´ll take care of you. ? he smiled and she felt a warm blanket pushed a littler higher over her sweat covered body. The man seemed to show little emotions. Cool. Calm. But finally he gave a smile. It looked faked, even through the delirium of her fever. Obviously he had not seen another human in a long, long time. ?Were are my manners. You are Andrea, I know from your passport.? He smiled. ?Pleased to meet you Andrea. I am Liam. Liam Abec.?